1. Field of the Invention:
The invention relates to electrical heaters of the baseboard type and particularly to heat storage means associated with such heaters and to methods of converting such heaters.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Electrical baseboard heating units are widely employed as a source of heat for both residental and commercial applications. Such baseboard units are typically thermostatically controlled and typically have no means for storing heat. Thus, when the baseboard unit is off, the unit normally cools very rapidly and noticeable and undesirable temperature variations in the area being heated are often experienced. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide heat storage means associated with the conventional electrical baseboard heater so as to smooth out the temperature fluctuations, provide a more uniform source of heat and have a source of heat that would operate even when the baseboard unit was electrically off.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,125 provides a type of baseboard heating unit with means to store some of the heat produced by the electrical heating unit. However, the approach taken in this patent requires modification to the interior structure of the baseboard heater and its effectiveness is limited by the space limitations within the heating unit. In this regard, it may be noted that a popular type of conventional baseboard heater is approximately six inches high, approximately three inches in depth and varies in length from two to eight feet or even longer. A substantial portion of the space within the conventional baseboard heater unit is occupied by the resistance type heating element which normally extends throughout the length of the heater unit. Thus, space limitations preclude provision of heat storage means within the baseboard heater unit itself when larger than such space.
Other attempts at providing heat storage associated with electrical heaters are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,381,113, 3,989,927 and 4,004,128. However, so far as applicant is aware, there has not been available an apparatus which could simply be associated with a conventional electrical baseboard heater unit without requiring any modification of the conventional baseboard unit construction and yet provide substantial heat storage.
With the foregoing in mind, the principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which can be used with the conventional electrical baseboard heater without requiring that it be modified and so as to provide substantial heat storage and thereby obtain a more uniform type of heating as well as a reduction in the amount of electrical energy necessary to maintain a comfortable level of heat within the area being heated by the baseboard unit. Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds, both as to the apparatus as well as the method.